Nut-lock.



PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

J. F. LAUFPER.

NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JA11127, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NUT-LOCK- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed January 27, 1905. Seria1No.24Z,905.

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, J ACOB FINK LAUFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Export, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in N ut-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to nut-locks, and more particularly to a special form of locking device for holding a nut securely in an adjusted position upon its bolt; and my invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the preferred form whereof will be hereinafter clearly set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

The main object of my invention is to provide a locking device suitable for a great variety of purposes, though especially adapted for looking a nut in engagement with the fishplate of a rail-joint, as well as upon machinery where the vibration and jar incident to use will have a tendency to casually loosen the nuts, and thus endanger the safety of the railjoint or the operation of the machinery.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are considered a part of this application, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention applied to use upon a rail-joint. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 as taken on line 2 2 thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of my invention complete removed from its operative position. Fig. 4 is a similar view to that presented in Fig. 3 taken from the opposite side thereof. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the two parts of my nut-lock separated from each other.

In carrying out myinvention I provide a suitable body portion 1, having an aperture 2 to loosely receive the bolt 3, employed to hold the fish-plates in union with the rail. The body portion 1 is provided with an anchoringstem comprising the inwardly-directed extension 4 and the stem proper, 5, disposed at right angles to the extension 4, said member 5 being designed to occupy the space usually left between the web 6 of the track-rail and the fish-plate, said space being designated by the numeral 7 The locking-bolt is provided, as is common, with a shoulder 8 and the head 9, said shoulder being elongated in cross-section and designed to prevent the bolt from turning while the nut 10 is being turned home upon the threaded end thereof. The body portion 1 is also provided with the ear or bracket 11, having an aperture 12, and said ear is designed to rest between the ears or brackets 13 upon the nut-engaging member 14, said nut-engaging member having the parallel extensions or flanges 15, adapted to receive between them the nut 10.

By reference to the drawings it will be observed that the member 14 is hinged to the member 1, as by passing the rod 16 through the apertures 17 and thence through the aperture 12 in the ear 11, which, as before explained, is disposed between the ears 13. The ear 11 is enlarged at its base, and said base is provided with a recess 18, said recess being designed to receive the free end of the lockingspring 19, pivotally secured to the member 14, as indicated by the numeral 20, and it therefore follows that when the spring is raised in that position shown in Fig. 6 the said member 14 may be easily swung upon its hinges and moved so as to bring the flanges 15 on either side of the nut 10, or the member 14 may be swung laterally to one side of the nut, and thus leave the nut in an exposed position for cooperation with the wrench. l/Vhen, however, the member 14 is moved around into that position shown in Fig. 1, so that the nut will be received between the flanges 15 and the spring 19 entered in the recess 18, it is obvious that said flanges will be securely locked in position relative to the nut, and thereby prevent the latter from casually turning after it has been once seated upon the bolt 3.

It is common to form the holes in the fishplate in which the bolt 3 is disposed so that they will be oblong for the purpose, above explained, of receiving the shoulder 8 and holding the bolt against casual rotation, and I utilize the space on the side of the bolt for the reception of the extension 4 of the anchoring member 5.

The anchoring-terminal may be readily introduced into position by withdrawing the bolt and disposing the said terminal in the space 7 when the bolt may be shoved through and the nut placed thereon and turned securely home. When the nut has thus been adjusted and firmly secured, the member 14 is moved around so as to bring the flanges on either side of the nut when the spring 19 has its free TIC end entered in the recess 18, thereby securely locking the nut against casual rotation, yet at the same time permitting free access to be had to the nut should it afterward be desired to tighten the same.

The parts of my invention may be very cheaply and expeditiously manufactured and assembled each in its respective position, and while I have described the preferred combination and construction of elements I desire to comprehend in this application all such substantial equivalents and substitutes as may be considered as falling fairly within the scope and purview of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described locking appliance for holding a nut in an adjusted position upon its to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

J. FINK LAUFFER.

\Vitnesses:

\V. T. FITZ GERALD, SoLoN (I. KnMoN. 

